1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a feed control switch for controlling the supply of livestock feed to a feed hopper, and more particularly, to a feed control switch which operates reliably and dependably without the need to contact the feed.
2. Background
For a chicken to efficiently gain weight in comparison to feed consumed, it is essential that the chicken always have adequate feed to eat when it is hungry. In order to provide feed on such an "as needed" basis, a plurality of feeding stations or feed pans, each typically suspended from the ceiling, are arranged in long rows along the length of the chicken coop and provided with feed when empty.
The feed pans are each connected to a conduit which, using an auger arrangement, delivers feed to the pans when an empty condition is sensed at the feed pans. The conduit is supplied from an intermediate hopper positioned at one end of the chicken coop. When the level of feed in the intermediate hopper drops to a predetermined level, it is then resupplied with feed from a main feed hopper positioned outside of the chicken coop.
Contact switches are generally used both sense the level of feed in the feed pans and to signal for the supply of feed to the feed pans from the intermediate hopper as needed. Additionally, a contact switching arrangement is provided to sense when feed to the intermediate hopper is needed from the main hopper.
Referring to FIG. 1, a known contact switch arrangement or flap switch for use in the intermediate hopper is generally illustrated at 11 and comprises a hinged flap 13 which pivots back and forth along the directions of arrow A so as to make a depressible contact switch 15 turn on and off. In this arrangement, the contact switch 15 is off when depressed and is on when released as shown in FIG. 1 so as to signal for the supply of feed B.
Typically, the switch arrangement 11 is positioned in the hopper at a height equaling the desired level of the feed when the hopper is full. Positioned adjacent the hinge flap 13 is a feed supply conduit 17 which pours feed B at the hinge flap 13. When the supply of feed to the hopper reaches the desired level in the hopper, the feed piles up in front of the flap 13 so that the weight of the pile 19 pivots the hinge flap 13 back against the contact switch 15 thereby pushing the switch 15 to the off position and cutting off the supply of feed. As the level of feed falls, the weight of the pile 19 of feed at the hinge flap 13 is reduced causing the flap 13 is spring forward to release contact switch 15 to the on position, as shown in FIG. 1, so as to continue the supply of feed B.
While operationally quite efficient when used at the feed pans, the flap switch 11 tends to hang-up when used in the intermediate hopper. Constant expose to feed causes grease to build up on the hinge flap 13 so the it has difficulty springing back to release the contact switch 15 to the on position. As result, when the flap switch 11 fails, the intermediate hopper is not supplied with feed from the main hopper and the plurality of feed pans become depleted of feed.
If the flap switch 11 hangs up in the middle of the night, the chickens can go unfed until morning. This causes a condition where the chickens are so hungry that when they are finally fed, they eat so quickly that the feed travels right through the bird without being fully digested resulting in an unacceptable conversion of feed to body weight.
A further deficiency of the known flap switch arrangement is that it has a tendency to switch on and off or "bounce" at the cut off rather than letting the motor run uninterrupted until the level of feed in the hopper reaches the desired level.